"We should not let the western countries make use of sanctions as a tool to pile up pressure on other countries," Xinhua quoted Zarif as saying in a meeting with his Belorussian counterpart in Tehran.

"The countries that are slapped with the unlawful and cruel sanctions need to keep moving by relying on their own capabilities," he said.

With reference to the nuclear talks between Iran and major world powers, he explained that the negotiations will bear fruit only if the western parties come to an understanding that "the unfair sanctions, which go counter to the international regulations, do not amount to a great achievement for them."